QUESTION PERIOD — Agriculture and Agri-Food
Support for Sector
October 1, 2020
My question is again for the government leader in the Senate. The old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In 2015, the Liberal government’s Speech from the Throne contained no mention of Canada’s agricultural sector.
Last week’s Speech from the Throne once again contained almost nothing to address the serious concerns facing our farmers; nothing about the trade wars impacting the ability of our farmers to get their product to market; nothing about badly needed changes to the business risk management programs; no priority given to agricultural research; no carbon exemption for our farmers; no acknowledgement of the critical role the sector plays in our society.
Senator Gold, farmers cannot shut down their operations and walk away from their responsibility for six weeks, like the Liberal government just did with Parliament. Where is the support for our grain growers, our chicken farmers, our pork and beef producers and many more?
Thank you, senator, for the question. The Canadian government is not only aware, but knows how important the agricultural sector is, and the agri-food industry as a key driver in Canada for jobs, economic prosperity and growth. The Canadian government has been providing support in an ongoing way to this sector and especially so during the difficult circumstances through which the sector is going, including though not limited to the pandemic crisis.
Indeed, this government has been involved in supporting Canadian farmers, producers and exporters in a number of ways and let me list just but a few. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the $3-billion federal-provincial-territorial agreement for strengthening the agriculture and agri-food sector, and funding for the suite of business mixed management programs of which I’ve made mention in earlier Question Periods, in the previous session of the Parliament.
I would add as well the $1.26-billion Strategic Innovation Fund, $70 million invested in the area of agricultural science and $2 billion in rural infrastructure, which is an important part of supporting this important sector in our economy.
